Food
Starbucks Japan gives us a pistachio Frappuccino for Christmas
We might still be in November but Christmas has already begun at Starbucks in Japan, with its first festive Frappuccino of the year, the Strawberry Merry Cream Frappuccino, getting us in the holiday mood from November 1. Now the celebrations are continuing with the unveiling of its second festive release —… Read
Budget sukiyaki showdown: Yoshinoya, Sukiya or Yayoiken — who gives the most beef for your yen?
We’re entering the best time of the year to eat sukiyaki. That’s not just because the traditional beef hot pot tastes especially good when the weather is cold, but also because late autumn and winter are the most affordable times to eat it. Ordinarily, sukiyaki is a premium-priced meal choice. Every year… Read
Do cheese and matcha go together? We find out with Starbucks Japan’s limited-time customization
Starbucks has released the Strawberry Merry Cream Frappuccino as its first Frappuccino for the holiday season. The star component of the new drink is the Merry Cream topping, which contains a blend of white chocolate and mascarpone, and it’s so good the chain reckons it’ll pair well with a lot of its other drinks, releasing it… Read
KitKat Japan’s holiday chocolate is here and we (and everyone else) can’t get enough of it
You may know Japanese KitKats for having a myriad of different flavors, some of which are regional or limited-edition. But did you know they also come out with adorable Santa-shaped KitKats in the winter that are insanely popular? Last year, they sold out within a week. This year they came out on November 6 and are being sold in cute… Read
KFC releases first-ever spicy miso chicken in Japan
KFC walks to the beat of its own drumstick in Japan, where its fried chicken is the meal of choice for Christmas dinner and the Colonel remains a beloved figure that gets dressed up for special occasions. So it comes as no surprise that the chain aims to please local customers with special menu… Read
How much more expensive is it to use microwave rice packs instead of cooking/freezing your own?
Rice is the cornerstone of the Japanese diet, a versatile and healthy staple that pairs with all sorts of side dishes. There’s a drawback, though, in that cooking an entire pot of rice takes a fair amount of time. Even with a rice cooker on high-speed setting, you’re looking at… Read
Japan’s lacquer-black cheesecake ice cream bars, shocking to see, but delicious to eat?
Cheesecake is one of those things that has a pretty standard color, a sort of creamy beige it shares with its primary ingredient of cream, cottage, or ricotta cheese. And sure enough, there’s a photo of a cheesecake with just that sort of color on the label of Japanese confectioner Akagi Nyugyo’s new cheesecake-flavor… Read
The Japanese twist on American fast food chains
One of the joys of living or traveling in Japan is trying out all of the wonderful local restaurant chains. While there’s plenty to be said for popping into a McDonald’s, Burger King, or Starbucks to see what unique menu items they have, for the most part, the experience will be similar to what you… Read
Aerosmith taiyaki now available in Japan for limited time
Taiyaki is a traditional Japanese sweet that’s been a favorite of locals since it was first introduced to the masses back in 1909. Now, over a hundred years later, the humble fish-shaped baked sweet, made from a pancake-like batter, has become so well-known around the world that even famous stars… Read
Osaka gets its very own Starbucks Frappuccino for limited time
Back in August 1996, Starbucks opened its first store in Japan in Tokyo’s Ginza district, followed soon after by its first store in West Japan on 28 November, 1998, at the Umeda Hep Five shopping and entertainment mall in Osaka. With this year being the 25th anniversary of the first store… Read
